Marcus Mariota

The final chapter of a new era in college football will be written Monday night in Arlington, Texas. The first year of the College Football Playoff will come to a close with Pac-12 champion Oregon squaring off against Big Ten champion Ohio State with the first, truly definitive, outright national championship on the line in the history of major college football.

Later this week the Heisman Trophy will add one new member to the most exclusive fraternity in sports. It is widely expected that Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota will hear his name announced as the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, which would make him the first player in program history to win the highest individual honor in college football.

This week’s slate of conference championship games not only serves as an appetizer or opening round to the College Football Playoff, but it doubles as the grand stage for this year’s top Heisman candidates to showcase their stuff and perhaps offer a signature Heisman moment before the votes are due.

There have been some worthy candidates since the Ducks became recognized as a national power in the sport, but quarterback Marcus Mariota may have the best chance to finally end that Heisman drought in Eugene.

If you did not know his name before Thursday, you undoubtedly know it now. Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill put on quite the show in his debut as the starting quarterback in the post-Johnny Manziel […]